Turbotransmission



July 25, 1944 .LYJANDAsEK v2,354,596

TURBO TRANSMISSION Filed Nov. 25, 1940 .BYMWW ATTORNEYS- Patented July 25, 1944 lUNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE TURBOTRANSMISSION Joseph Jandasek, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Applicatin. November z5, 1940, serial No. 366,948'

s claims.

and driven members wherein automatically op-4 erable means are provided to isolate the speed varying means from the driving and driven members at the instant it is desired to make a change of the speed ratio.

A further object of this invention is to provide means to render a torque converter inoperative a fluid durch, and which may be shifted axially by power means to a position to interrupt the operation of the device.

Another object is toprovidespeedl varying means associated `with a uid transmission wherein means-L are provided to momentarily render the prime mover inoperative and relieve a driven shaft of load to facilitate actuation of the speed varying means.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description considered'in connection with the ac,-

when the speed of operation of the device approaches a substantially predetermined minimum value.

Another object of the invention is to provide torque responsive means for interrupting the transmission of power'through a uid transmission ,when the torque transmitted decreases to a substantially predetermined point.

Yet another object resides in the provision vof means responsive to a gear shifting movement to interrupt the operation of the engine or prime mover at the moment of operation of a speed varying mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to momentarily isolate a speed varying mechanism in such a. manner that the speed varying mechanism may be actuated with minimum danger of clashing of gears.

Still another object is to provide means responsive to variations in manifold vacuum for momentarily interrupting the iiuid circuit of a torque converter to facilitate actuation of speed varying means associated with the device.

Yet another .object of the invention is to provide manifold vacuum responsive means to actuate a shiftable guide wheel member. to a position to interrupt the operation of the device when the differential of fluid pressure in the manifold approaches a substantially predetermined value.

A still further object resides in the provision of a'shiitable guidewheel member which may move axially on a helix to two operative positions companying drawing, submitted for purposes of illustration only, and not intended to dene the scope of the invention, reference being had for that purpose to the subjoined claims.

In the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a device embodying the present invention.

Fig. l2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the control mechanism.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a valve mechanism.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is y not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

Also it is to be understood that the phraseologyor terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimedl herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring now to Fig. 1, it will be observed that a driving shaft 6 is provided with an impeller housing 8 which receives a cover-platev I0 having an axially extending housing portion l2 terminating in a radially extending flange I4 having an axially extending portion I6 mounted on suitable bearings I8.

The impeller housing 8 is provided with impeller vanes 20 suitably secured thereto and positioned to impart energy to-a liquid circulating Within the housing. The energy is transmitted to a turbine having rst stage turbine vanes 22 interposed between a turbine web 24 and -a turbine shroud 26, and to second stage turbine varies 28 interposed between the shroud 26 and a turbine web 3U. The turbine web 30 is carried by to operate a turbounit as a torque converter or as a turbine hub 32 operably connected to a driven Vshaft 34 which may be coaxially aligned with and is provided with a plurality of spaced longi` tudinally extending slots 38 extending between a flange 40 anda helically threaded portion 42.

A guide wheel 44 provided with a plurality of spaced channels 46 and 48, and a closing valve 50 is axially movable into and out of the uid circuit preferably between the first and second stage turbines. The channel 46 of the guide wheel member 44 is provided with vanes disposed at suitable angles to operate the device as a torque converter, and the channel 48 is provided with vanes of suitable contour to operate the device as a turboclutch. Theclosing valve 50 may be introduced into the fluid circuit to substantially close the circuit thereby rendering the unit inoperative.

' The guide wheel 44 is mounted on a radially extending guide wheel flange 52 carried by a guide wheel hub 54 having internal helically 4threaded portions 56 cooperating with the heli-l cally threaded portion42 of the stationary member 36 to move the guide wheel axially into or out of the fluid circuit to operate the device as a torque converter or as a turboclutch or to render the unit inoperative.

The stationary member 36 is provided with a plurality of spaced axially extending cylinders 58 adapted to receive plungers60 having actuating ngers 62 positioned to engage in a circumferential groove 64 formed in the guide wheel hub 54. The fingers 62 are aligned in the slots 38 to move axially therein when the pistons 60 are moved longitudinally in the cylinders 38 to actuate the guide wheel structure.

Suitable resilient means such for example as spaced oppositely directed springs 66 and 68 may be positioned in the cylinder 58 to engage the pistons 60 to urge the pistons to move the guide wheel out of and into the fluid circuit respectively. The springs 66 and 68 may be calibrated `to exert a force urging the guide wheel out of the fluid circuit when it is fully in and to exert a force urging the guide wheel into the circuit as it approaches the retracted position. The cylinders 58 may be'operably connected by means of a suitable conduit 10 with torque responsive means such for example as the intake manifold of an engine or prime mover l Referring now to Fig. 2 of the drawing, it will be observed that the driven shaft 34 may be operably connected through an intermediate shaft 'I2 with a nal driven shaft 14.

The driven shaft 34 may be provided with a pinion 16 and the intermediate shaft 12 may be provided with a second speed gear 18 suitably interconnected by speed varying synchromesh operated gearing 80. The intermediate shaft l2 and the nal driven shaft 14 may be interconnected by one-way driving means 82 whereby power may be transmitted to' the .final driven shaft 'I4 in one direction of rotation only.

The speed varying gearing y80 may be actuated by means of a sleeve 84 axially movable by means of a suitable control member 86 having a handle 88. The control member 86 may be actuated automatically by any suitable shifting mechanism controlled by speed or torque responsive meais or may be actuated manually by the handle 8.

The guide wheel 44 may be operated by torque responsive means such for example as intake such a manner as to introduce the closing valve member 50 into the uid circuit when the sleeve 84 approaches the neutral position illustrated in Fig. 2.

The conduit 10 illustrated in Fig. 1 may coml i municate with a valve chamber 90 having a conduit 92 communicating with the intake manifold of the engine or other suitable source of variable fluid pressure. A valve disk 94 may be positioned in the valve chamber 90 to selectively interconnect the conduit 'l0 with the conduit 92 communicating with the source of variable fluid pressure or with a conduit 96 communicating with atmospheric pressure.

The disk 94 may be actuated by means of a shaft 98 operably connected to a lever |00 journalled in a stationary member |02. Yielding means such for example as a spring |04 may be provided to resiliently urge the lever |00 toward the inoperative position to interconnect the conduit 10 with the atmospheric conduit 96. A plunger ,|06 carried by the lever |00 is provided to engage a cam portion |08 carried by a shift bar ||0 operably connected to the control member 86.

Means may be provided to intermittently interrupt the transmission of power from the ingine or prime mover at the time it is desired to effect a change in speed ratio. One suitable form of mechanism for interrupting the power transmitted comprises a rotatable member l2 positioned in the ignition circuit ||4 and provided with suitable segmental contacts to intermittently interconnect or disconnect the ignition circuit as'the member ||2 oscillates slightly on a shaft I6. The rotatable member |2 may be oscillated on the shaft ||6 to interrupt the ignition circuit ||4 by means of a lever ||8 positioned to be engaged by the lever |00 when the plunger |06 is actuated by the cam |08 upon movement of the control member 86. A suitable weight |20 may be carried by the lever ||8 to build up an inertia force to momentarily interrupt the ignition circuit ||4 when the control member B6 is actuated rapidly to cause the cam |08 to strike the plunger |06 and force the lever |00 upwardly. The lever I B will then be thrown upwardly by the inertia force to oscillate the rotatable member l2 on the shaft |6 and momentarily interrupt the ignition circuit I4. The length of time the ignition circuit ||4 is thus interrupted may be varied by changing the intensity of the weight |20, a spring |22 being provided to return the lever ||8 to the operative or ignition closed position.

The operation of this device is as follows: When the control member 86 is in the neutral position as illustrated in Fig. 2, the conduit 'l0 is interconnected with the conduit 92 communicating with the intake manifold of the engine. The plungers 60 are then subjected to manifold vacuum to urge the guide wheel hub 54 and the guide wheel 44 to move axiallyto the position illustrated in full lines whereupon the valve 50 closes the fluid circuit between the first and second stage turbine members to interrupt the transmission of power through the turbounit.

The free wheel unit `42 interposed between the intermediate driven shaft 12 and the final driven shaft 14 transmits power in one direction of rotation only. The control member 8E may therefore be readily shifted because as the sleeve 84 approaches the neutral position illustrated in Fig.

2, the load on the driven shaft 34 is released and the final driven shaft 14 will tend to overrun the speed of the intermediate driven shaft 12 thereby unloading the change speed gearing 80 to permit ready shifting of the gears.

If it is desired to make a rapid shift of the gears by quickly manipulating the control member 86, the cam |08 strikes the end of the plunger |06 carried by the lever |00 to throw the lever upwardly about the shaft 88 whereupon the -v lever ||8 controlling the ignition circuit ||4 will to permit the shifting ofthe sleeve 84 into engagement with the desired gearing to effect the speed change.

When the sleeve 84 is in engagement with the desired gears 10 or 18, the cam |08 moves out of engagement with the end of the plunger whereupon the shaft 98 is rotated to interconnect the conduit with the atmospheric conduit 96 and the spring |22 returns, the lever ||8 to the normal position to interconnect the ignition circuit whereupon power can be transmitted A from the driving shaft 6 to the final driven shaft 14.

When the valve disk 04 is thus rotated to interconnect the conduit l10 with the atmospheric conduit 96, the plungers 60 being subjected to .substantially equal pressures on their opposite ends will be urged longitudinally in the cylinders 58 by the springs 68, and the fingers 62 engaging in the circumferential groove 64 will move the guide wheel hub 54 axially to position the channel 48 in the fluid circuit to operate the device as a fluid clutch.

Dependent on the iiuid reaction exerted in the huid circuit the guide wheel win shift axiauy to position the channel 46 or the channel 48 in the fluid circuit to selectively operate the device as a torque converter or as a uid clutch.

Attention is called to the fact that if desired the control mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2 may be dispensed with entirely and the conduit 10 of Fig. 1 connected directly to the intake manifold upon the helical threads 56 olf/:the guide wheel hub 54 will rotate on the helical threads 42 of the stationary sleeve 36 to position the channel 48 in the fluid circuit to transform the device to operate as a turboclutch. If the accelerator pedal is still further released, such for example as to an idling speed, the vacuum in the intake manifold will increase and exert suction in the conduit 10 f and cylinders .'8 to urge the guide wheel hub 54 axially toward the right as viewedin Fig. 1 toward the full line position to interpose the closing valve in the fluid circuit to stop circulation of iluid in the device thereby interrupting the transmission of ,power and preventing what has commonly been referred to in this art'as creepf This is a continuation-in-part of my co-peding application Serial No. 588,163, filed January 22, 1932. y

' I claim:

1. In a. transmission device for an engine having an ignition circuit, impeller and turbine members cooperating to form a power transmitting fluid circuit, vvalve means to interrupt the fluid.

circuit, a mechanicalspeed change gearing, and inertia means operated by manipulation of the speed change gearing to momentarily interrupt the ignition circuit and to actuate the valve means to interrupt the uid circuit.A

2. In a transmission for an engine having an ignition circuit, impeller and turbine members cooperating to form a power transmitting fluid circuit, guide wheel means selectively movable relative to the fluid circuit to operate the transmission as a torque converter or as a turboclutch or to interrupt the operation of the transmission, andmeans operated when the guide wheel interrupts the operation of the transmission to interrupt the ignition circuit.

3. In a transmission device for, an engine propelled motor vehicle, a turbounit having'impeller and turbine Wheels cooperating to form a uid circuit, a guide wheel having a plurality of spaced channels adapted to be selectively positioned in the fluid circuit to operate the device as a torque .converter or as a turboclutch, valve means carried by the guide wheel to close the fluid circuit, mechanical speed change gearing associated with the turbounit, fluid pressure responsive means controlled by actuation of the change speed gearing to introduce the valve means into the fluid circuit to interrupt the operation of the turbounit upon actuation of the speed change gearing, and

inertia means to interrupt the enginepower when the valve means is in the fluid circuit.

4. Afpower transmitter comprising cooperating turbo and mechanical gearing for an engine having an ignition circuit, manually operable means to actuate'the change speed gearing, valve means controlling the turbounit, means actuated by movement of the speed change gearing to render the turbounit inoperative, and inertia means actuated by the manual operation of the change speed gearing to momentarily interrupt the ignition circuit of the engine.

5. In a transmission device for an engine propelled motor vehicle having an ignition circuit, a turbounit having impeller and turbine wheels cooperating to form a fluid circuit, a guide wheel having a plurality of spaced channels adapted vto be selectively positioned in the uid circuit to operate the device as a torque converter or as a turboclutch, valve means carried by the guide wheel to close the iiuid circuit, mechanical speed change gearing associated with the turbounit, inertia means to momentarily interrupt the operation of the engine ignition circuit, and means to simultaneously move the valve means to close the fluid vcircuit upon actuation of the change speed gearing.

6. A power transmitter comprising cooperating lturbo and mechanical units for an engine having an ignition circuit, manually operable means to vary the gear ratio of the mechanical unit and including a neutral position, means to render the turbounit inoperative when the manually operable means is in the 'neutral position, and means operated by a rapid manipulation only of the manually operable means to momentarily interrupt the ignition circuit and render the engine inoperative.

7. A power transmitter comprising cooperating turbo and change speed mechanical gearing for an engine having an ignition circuit, manually operable means to actuate the change speed gearing, valve means controlling the turbounit, means actuated by shifting movement of the speed change gearing to render the turbounit inoperative, and means actuated by a. rapid actuation only of said manually operable means to momen-- tarily interrupt the ignition circuit of the engine. 8. A power transmitter for a motor vehicle having an ignition controlled engine comprising a fluid transmission, a mechanical speed change transmission, a nal driven shaft, manually operated means to actuate the mechanical transmission, inertia controlled means to interrupt the engine ignition circuit upon predetermined movement of the manually operated means, and one-way driving means between the mechanical speed change transmission and the nal driven shaft to interrupt the driving connection between the mechanical transmission and the nal driven shaft to facilitate shifting.

JOSEPH JANDASEK. 

